Leaves are evergreen, alternate, simple, narrowly lanceolate to oblanceolate, slightly curved, dull gray green, no distinct upper or lower surface, slightly enlarged area near the base of the petiole.
Flowers are pale yellow or cream colored, fragrant, in clusters. Clusters (heads) are arranged in racemes with 5-9 heads per inflorescence. Other sites call this the ever-blooming wattle as it may bloom sporadically year round. My pictures are from winter, and only a few branches had flowers.
Fruit is a pod with some restrictions between the seeds. 4-5" long.
Young stems are bright red-mahogony eventually turning gray.
Trunk reportedly scaly at maturity but these trees are pretty young and smooth.
There are two botanical varieties, but they seem to look alike, one preferring wetter soils.
Misidentification:
While taking pictures of the flowers one day a neighbor wanted to know what I was doing. After informing him he told me the tree was a black acacia and since he worked for a tree company for 30 years he was sure. But if you step back and look at the leaves, and flowers, he was not far off.
Odd Acacias are tough, helps to see the flowers, pods and leaves.
Location:
Santa Cruz
Harper St. at the east end, past the sign that says private road (oops) across from Daniva Ct. and above all the trash cans.